TODAY.AZ / Politics

Yerevan seeks to spoil peace talks by any mean

04 May 2016 [12:47] - TODAY.AZ

/By Azernews/

By Gulgiz Dadashova

The Armenian parliamentarians have involved the government in their unlawful plans to recognize the separatist regime of Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

Two Armenian MPs proposed the country's government to recognize the "independence" of the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in defiance of the international law.

This move of Yerevan to resort political provocations in addition to its bloody armed provocations on the frontline with Azerbaijan to breach the peace process and hamper resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was met with strict reaction in Azerbaijan.

Baku immediately called on the international community to adequately respond to Armenian provocations.

“Armenia`s recognizing the separatist regime in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan means an end of the Minsk Group Process and the Minsk Group will have no mandate for any negotiations,” Hikmat Hajiyev, Spokesperson for Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry, said while commenting on the news.

This is the example of extreme insult and arbitrariness against the Minsk Group Process, its co-chairs and the entire international community, Hajiyev added, urging the international community to react to Armenia’s steps.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions.

The OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, proceeding talks based on the renewed Madrid principles. Yerevan has staged sabotages every time when there was certain progress in the negotiations.

It is not accidental that the call to recognize the so-called NKR coincides the time when the international community, in particular, the countries involved in the settlement of the long-lasting conflict have intensified their efforts for solving the problem. By this way Yerevan in fact demonstrates its intention to continue the illegal occupation of Azerbaijani lands, unwillingness to achieve progress in the peace process and firm desire to disrupt the negotiations.

Novruz Mammadov, deputy head of the Azerbaijani presidential administration, chief of the administration's foreign relations department, is sure that this proposal by Armenian MPs is continuation of the provocations staged in early April.

“They knew that they would receive a response. And their main goal was to use this as a pretext to spoil the negotiation process and perpetuate the status-quo,” he told Azertac. "The Armenian side has once again proved that the international law, the UN Security Council resolutions and the negotiation process are of no value to them.”

Armenia's recognition of the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh would mean a violation of all principles of international law, including the UN Security Council resolutions and documents adopted by the PACE, Council of Europe and nullifying of peace proposals of the OSCE Minsk Group.

The OSCE Minsk Group, representing the U.S., Russia and France, need to express their opinion on this issue, believes Polad Bulbuloglu, Baku’s ambassador to Moscow.

“In case Armenia makes such irresponsible decision and recognizes the separatist regime, all the responsibility for this decision and its negative consequences will lay on the parliamentarians and the leadership of Armenia,” he said.

The ambassador reminded that Baku is ready for peace talks, despite the fact that Armenia continues attacking civilians.

Azerbaijan’s leadership has repeatedly announced that it seeks peaceful settlement of the conflict, but it does not mean that the negotiations are the only way to settle the problem.

Baku, which has suffered from Yerevan's aggressive policy for more than two decades, has repeatedly stated that the presence of the Armenian Armed Forces in the occupied territories is a major obstacle to the settlement of the conflict and threat to the regional stability.

Regularly staging provocative actions, violating the ceasefire by shelling towns and villages in Azerbaijan, along the line of contact between Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces and the border between the two countries, Armenia aims to freeze the situation and prevent any progress in the negotiation process.

Armenian authorities, without thinking on the consequences of such an irresponsible act as recognizing the separatist regime, are in fact preparing grounds for the explosion of political situation and the complete disruption of a peaceful settlement. Armenia well understands that it will have to withdraw from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan for the solution of the conflict based on the UN Security Council resolutions.

Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan, talking to local media, refused that the government of Armenia is planning to approve the draft law on the recognition of the so called Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, saying that the government will only assess the proposal. “Based on this assessment, the recognition will depend on further development of the situation,” he said.

For now prudence seems prevailing over selfish goals of Armenian politicians.

Regardless of the results of discussions, such a provocative step is a gross violation of the norms and principles of international law -- Yerevan attempts to grab the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan and to hinder a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/150375.html

Print version

Views: 1243

Connect with us. Get latest news and updates.

Recommend news to friend

  • Your name:
  • Your e-mail:
  • Friend's name:
  • Friend's e-mail: